Supporters of Alabama’s 21 state parks are pushing for voters to pass Amendment 2 on the Nov. 8 ballot.

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Kelly Ezell, the central district superintendent for Alabama State Parks, said the amendment will protect the funding for Alabama’s state parks, ensuring that “money cannot be transferred from Alabama state parks into the general fund to be used by other entities within the state.”

Park supporters are pushing hard for the amendment after money set aside for -- and raised by -- the parks was taken away in the last few years, due to budget crises.

“We’ve lost $15 million over the last 5 years due to these transfers, and this kind of loss we cannot sustain,” Ezell said.

The park system announced plans to close five smaller parks in 2015 because of the budget. Most of those have reopened.

“There will definitely be more parks closed if we can’t get the amendment to pass,” Ezell said.

The amendment would also allow private companies, such as operators of zip lines and golf courses, to run facilities in parks.

The amendment was favored by lopsided majorities in the Legislature, with opponents arguing that there might be better government uses for the dollars.